Are Disciplinary Actions Against Lawyers Made Public Record?

Disciplinary actions against attorneys are a matter of public record, as FindLaw explains. Every state has its own disciplinary organization that investigates complaints against attorneys and administers discipline as appropriate. In extreme cases, attorneys are disbarred and no longer allowed to practice law.

State disciplinary organizations may be run by the state's Department of Justice or its Supreme Court, as is the case in states such as Connecticut, Kentucky, Vermont, Hawaii and New Jersey, among others. In many states, the state's Bar Association handles matters of attorney discipline, as is true in Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, among others. Anyone wishing to hire an attorney should check the attorney's discipline record with the appropriate organization, FindLaw explains.